Creating my flock

[heathercara]

Welcome! I'd be careful choosing breeds to mix with Silkies, and definitely get them at the same time, or have the standard birds a bit younger than the Silkies, not the other way.
In my experience, production reds, which include hatchery RIRs, tend to be aggressive with their flockmates, and could be a real threat to Silkies, who are smaller, cat's see well under that cute top knot, and are generally more fragile. Many people with Silkies have them in a separate coop, so be ready.
There are so many breeds and colors to choose! Have you looked at feathersite online, or the Cackle catalog, or Henderson's breed chart? So many choices!!!
Mary

I have been told (and hopefully it's true!) that you can mix Silkies and other chicks as long as they are within two weeks of each other. I would happily have an entire flock of those little fluffs, but my BF wants eggs Also, I was only looking at places in California because it seems kind of dangerous to ship them far, but is that a valid concern? We are thinking of getting 3 silkies and a black polish (I love the funny-looking littles) and 1 wyandotte, 1 RIR, 1 Delaware, and 1 Ameraucana.

 

[heathercara]

Can you get a shipment of egg layers on the 15th? If so I would do that

So get the silkies first, then get the egg-layers? Will that give the silkies a little more dominance since they're smaller?

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

I would wait until your feed store gets the silkies and see what other layers they have at the same time. I wouldn5 put production reds with silkies as they tend to be more aggressive, try a more docile breed like leghorns or Easter Eggers.

 

[heathercara]

I would wait until your feed store gets the silkies and see what other layers they have at the same time. I wouldn5 put production reds with silkies as they tend to be more aggressive, try a more docile breed like leghorns or Easter Eggers.

Perfect! Thanks! There are some silkie farms within 3 hours of me, so I have contacted them, and maybe I can avoid the stress of them shipping and just go and pick them up So RIR are not a good idea? Do you have any suggestions for egg-laying breeds (besides Easter Eggers or Leghorns) that will be good with silkies? What about Wyandottes, Orpingtons, Delawares, Ameraucanas, or Sex-links?

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

Stay away from most sex linked breeds, they tenD to be bossy, I don’t have experience with Delaware’s but I would try ameracaunas. Buff orp’s Tend to be the queens of the coop

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

Wyandottes in my flock are skittish and low on the pecking order but if you make them the only large fowl then you might have problems

 

[heathercara]

So then Easter Eggers and Ameraucanas? I wanted 3-4 silkies, then 3-4 egg-layers. What about Brahmas or Australorps?

 

[Stephine]

Brahmas are huge but generally calm, so they might be ok. I wouldn’t get a Wyandotte - ours are pretty nasty and I have heard the same from others (to other chickens that is, not to us). I would go for a Speckled Sussex, Barred Rock, or even the Brahma - in my mixed flock, I have never seen any of those be unnecessarily bossy to other hens - they seem to be easy to get along with. ( I also have Swedish Flower hens, RIR, GLWyandotte, Welsumer - wouldn’t recommend any of those). You can also look at breed profiles online and see which breeds tend to be calm and easy going, not known for bullying.
Definitely help the silkies out and get them at the same time or BEFORE the bigger breeds. I would not pay $100. Just order from a hatchery (I have used and liked Meyer), that’s so easy, you can order just females and they will reimburse for chicks that were supposed to be hens but turned out to be roos instead. Have fun!

 

[Stephine]

I should add:

I am in CA, too. Meyer’s has sent as few as three chicks to me later in the spring. They add a heat pack. My Pet Chicken also sends smaller orders later in the spring.

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

In mixed flocks some breeds are low on the pecking order and are docile but if you make that “docile” breed the only other breed besides silkies then you might have problems.
If I were in your position I would get 4 silkies and then 2 Easter Eggers or ameracaunas and then get 2 speckled Sussex, that way they might not gang up on the silkies and there will be a 3 way triangle of the aggression. Also, this way you would have a beautiful egg basket with green,blue,brown, and cream eggs